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Charles Bucke
|birth_place = Worlington, Suffolk, England |death_date = |death_place = Pulteney-terrace, Islington England |occupation = Poet, writer, Philosophical observer, playwright }} Charles Bucke (16 April 1781 - 31 July 1846) was an English writer who, despite being poor most of his life, still managed to produce roughly eleven different works, each varying in number of volumes and topics. Life Little is recorded concerning the life of Mr. Bucke, but he is remembered for his eloquence with nature writing and a dispute with the actor Edmund Kean.Apple English Poetry. He worked for over 30 years on his publications, often recalling them repeatedly to re-edit them. This caused some of the same works to be published under different titles, most notably his 2-volume series, The Philosophy of Nature, or the Influence of Scenery on the Heart and Mind, which he later expanded to four volumes under the title On the Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature.Internet Archive Dispute with Kean Bucke also clashed on occasion with fellow writers, and, in one instance, an actor, Edmund Kean. In the dispute with Kean, Mr. Bucke relates that in 1817 he submitted his play "The Italians, or; The Fatal Accusation" to the Committee of Management at Drury Lane where it was accepted and put on the bill for future performance. Upon the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales the theatre closed for three weeks out of respect and Bucke conceded his priority in favour of a play that was thought to better appeal to the feelings of the general public regarding the princess's death. After various delays and assurances that the play was well-liked and would be performed, Kean made an offhand comment suggesting that one of the female supporting actors had a superior role than his and that his part should be rewritten to be more centre-stage, much to the surprise of Bucke. After speaking with the theatre management, the issue was pushed aside in favour of focusing on the current production of a play by Jane Porter, who Kean had a personal dislike for, that was to be shown in February 1819. The play was performed and, according to Bucke who was at opening night (and also according to popular media at the time), it was almost as if the entire production staff and actors were against the play's performance. Despite a concerted effort by some of the actors, Porter's play was a devastating failure and was not repeated. Upon witnessing this spectacle and bearing in mind the strange reaction he'd received previously from Kean, he went back stage to the management and requested his play to be pulled.The Works of Lord Byron, footnote pg. 202 After being called back by the theatre's committee and the insistence of the theatre's benefactors that 'The Italians' still be performed, Mr. Bucke then later had it republished with a preface concerning the incident, including excerpts from correspondences between himself, the theatre, and Mr. Kean which was later challenged in two books, The Assailant Assailed and A Defense of Edmund Kean, Esq.. The ending result was loss of face on both sides and the play being performed anyway on 3 April 1819 to disastrous results due to the sensationalism surrounding Kean's contempt for the play as well as his behaviour towards the production of Jane Porter's piece beforehand."The Italians, or; The Fatal Accusation", preface pages v through xxvi Death Bucke died at the age of 65, presumedly of natural causes, leaving behind a widow, two sons (the eldest recorded as being 'imbecile from birth') and two daughtersGoogle Books- The Gentleman's Magazine, obituaries (May 1847, pg. 558) Publications Poetry *''The Fall of the Leaf, and other poems. London: G. & W.B. Whitaker, 1819. Play *The Italians; or, The Fatal Accusation: A tragedy. London: G. & W.B. Whitaker, 1819. *Julio Romano; or, The force of the passions: An epic drama in six books. London: J. Rodwell, 1830. Non-fiction *''The philosophy of nature: or the influence of scenery on the mind and heart (2 volumes), London: John Murray, 1813; Volume I, Volume II **expanded as On the Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature. (4 volumes), London: G. & W.B. Whitaker, 1821; London: Thomas Tegg, 1837; New York: Harper, 1841. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III *''Amusements in Retirement; or, The influence of science, literature, and the liberal arts. London: Henry Colburn, 1816. *''A Classical Grammar of the English Language: With a short history of its origin and formation. London: Baldwin & Cradock, 1829. *''On the Life, Writings, and Genius of Akenside: With some account of his friends. London: J. Cochrane, 1832 *The Book of Human Character'' (2 volumes), London: Knight, 1837. *''A Letter Intended (one day) as a Supplement to Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott'' London?: privately published, 1838. *''The Life of John, Duke of Marlborough'' London: Thomas Tegg, 1839. *''Ruins of Ancient Cities: with general and particular accounts of their rise, fall, and present condition'' (2 volumes), London: Tegg, 1840; New York: Harper, 1841. Volume I, Volume II Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Charles Bucke, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, May 5, 2016. References External links ;Poems *"Hymn to the Moon" *"The Fall of the Leaf" (excerpt) ;Books * ;About * Bucke, Charles *Charles Bucke (1781-1846) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 Category:1781 births Category:1846 deaths Category:English poets Category:People from Mildenhall, Suffolk Category:English writers Category:English nature writers Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:18th-century English people Category:19th-century English people Category:English male dramatists and playwrights Category:English male poets Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets